Arjen Robben will be sidelined for the next ten days after undergoing groin surgery in Munich, Bayern announced on Friday. The 27-year-old Netherlands international withdrew from the Dutch squad for the Euro 2012 qualifiers against Moldova and Sweden and returned to Munich on Thursday, reporting immediately to club Chief Medical Officer Dr. Hans-Wilhelm Müller-Wohlfahrt for an examination and treatment.

Due to a pubic bone inflammation, the player has developed a weak groin [a so-called sportsman's groin, an early-stage hernia] over the last few days. Surgery was successfully performed on the groin injury this morning by Prof. Dr. Dr. Tomas Hoffmann at Maria-Theresia hospital in Munich, Dr. Müller-Wohlfahrt commented on Friday. The medical unit expects Robben to resume training in around ten days.

Robben has already missed five weeks of the season after suffering from a persistant pelvic injury and only returned to action in the Bundesliga on 24th September, scoring in the 3-0 win over Bayer 04 Leverkusen.
He subsequently made a brief appearance as a substitute against Manchester City in the Champions League and played 45 minutes in the 0-0 draw at 1899 Hoffenheim last weekend.

Hamburg have confirmed on their official website that they have appointed former Basel chief Thorsten Fink as their new head coach. The former Bayern Munich midfielder has signed a deal that ties him to the Bundesliga side until the summer of 2014.

Basel already announced earlier on Thursday that Fink had left the club with immediate effect to take the reins at HSV, and the German side have now confirmed the 43-year-old's appointment.

Hamburg had been in the market for a new coach since Michael Oenning's departure on September 19. Rodolfo Cardoso initially took over as caretaker boss, but, as he did not have his coaching licence, he was replaced by sporting director Frank Arnesen last week.

The former Chelsea chief did not stop in his search for a permanent replacement, though, and has now found his man in Fink.

"Thorsten was our absolute first choice. He fits perfectly at HSV with his style of work and his footballing philosophy," Arnesen said on the Hamburg website.

The former Ingolstadt coach guided Basel to two Swiss league titles after taking charge in June 2009 and will now be looking to take HSV back to the top.

Basel, meanwhile, have appointed assistant coach Heiko Vogel as caretaker boss until December 2011.